Halloween, in my opinion is the most fun time of year. I love HORROR and the idea of ghosts and spirits among us. We actually just booked a ghost tour in historic Savannah with television ghost hunter, Patrick Burns. Cheesy? Maybe. But you have to embrace it all and be willing to use your imagination (ghosts are real by the way). Maybe that’s why so many adults cease to celebrate the holiday… and that is a damn shame! Halloween offers itself to truly be the most out-of-the-box, creative time of year. Here’s a look at our costumes from a few Halloweens past…

Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein

A Pirate and a Mermaid (this was actually our Honeymoon in U.S.V.I.)

Zombie Bride and Groom

Evil Ring Leader and Circus Clown

Morticia and Gomez Addams

Dress up.

I really get into the makeup portion of my costumes (much like real life). My absolute favorite artist, specializing in (but not limited to) FX makeup, is the uber talented Angie Davis a.k.a. Goldiestarling. I have been following her for years and this girl is truly my spirit animal. Whether you’re interested in FX makeup or not, you have to appreciate the art. Here is her Youtube channel and here is her Instagram page. Please check her out. I’ve lost hours upon hours watching her tutorials.

Halloween parties.

This is your chance to get really creative with all aspects of the night. Beware of deterring guests from eating the food in attempt to make it extra “gory”. After all, it is a Halloween party, not Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. Here are a few bites from last year…

charcuterie and coffin shaped cheeses

pumpkin spice cupcakes

pimento cheese deviled eggs

white chocolate covered pretzels

chocolate “spider” cake with cream cheese icing – made by my MOM!

We throw a pretty elaborate Halloween party every couple of years. Each year, we invest more into the props. Soon, we will need to convert our spare bedroom to a proper storage space. For example, last year we added an actual burial casket and a 6 foot spider.

Of course, for any party you need invitations. It is very rare that you will receive an “Evite” from me. I love paper invitations. I think that they are more personal, and I think it’s sad that everything has gone digital (says the girl pushing a WordPress Blog). I like printed photographs, magazines and books, and invitations that I can touch. The invitation sets the tone for what one should expect from the party. 99% of the time, I make invitations myself. It will save you quite a bit of money and they can be customized to your heart’s desire! Not an artist? Many artists will create a custom invitation for you and send you the file to print yourself. Of course, you’re still paying for the work but you will save a ton in the end if you own a nice printer. See the toe-tags below that we sent out for last year’s soiree. Each personalized based on the cause of death, and then edges burned to create a gruesome, unsterile aesthetic.

Home Decor.

Whether decorating the house for a party or just for the Halloween season, the task is equally as fun. Here’s a glimpse at what I’ve done this year, which is very scaled back compared to last. When not hosting the party, I try to keep it in the creepy theme that is Halloween, but still a bit classy- so, this year you won’t find decapitated clown heads hanging from hooks, or blood dripping from the window sill. However, Kobi (our little pumpkin spice puppy) does carry around a “new toy” that looks like a prop from The Walking Dead.

Try painting pumpkins instead of carving them- they will last much longer!

These pillows were hand painted and sewn. I’m a sucker for all things vintage Halloween!

Ravens and spiders sit amongst the wine racks. Not overly obvious, but a nice detail.

One of my favorite pieces… I found this wooden bride and groom last season at Marshalls.